Taieri Recreational Tramping Club

41. 14/10/2020. Trampers. Leaders: Jill Dodd and Peter Gillespie

This is a little hidden treasure. A QE11 Covenent area on the east side of Saddle Hill. There is 20 hectares of regenerating native coastal forest Totara, Rimu, Kahikatea, Miro, Matau and Kanuka.

It is an iron ore residue from the now disused coal mines that are on the hillside .
A real surprise for us all was when Colin dug into an old rotten log where he finally found a Peripatus a living ancient velvet worm like creature. These worms have been around for 500 million years and found throughout NZ.

The walk concluded by reading a poem, dedicated to the greatness of trees, and looking at the 30year old kauri tree.

40. 16/3/2019. Hikers. Saddle Hill. Leaders: Bob and Jenny.

More panoramic views were taken in before we went down the hill,out of the cool breeze, and had a leisurely lunch looking out over the Taieri. We then wandered down the hill and out onto Saddlehill Road and back to the cars. Coffee was at the Village Green. Thanks Bob. – Jenny.

39. 19/9/2018. Trampers. Saddle Hill circuit. Leader: Eleanor.

On a very warm spring morning 14 trampers set off from Quarry road and walked up Coal Stage and Saddle Hill roads then down McMaster road.  Enjoying a great display of Kowhai in full bloom, also a mix of blossom and animals along the way.  One member recalls riding horses as a girl on a property we passed.

We enjoyed smoko break overlooking the ocean.  At this point with the sun shining brightly upon us, we decided to do an add on.

Turning onto Old Brighton road we headed to Fairfield, then crossed over to Flower street walked up the couple of hills crossing a stile into the water tank paddock.  Once again (on both sides of the rather steep stile) with more great views, lunch and chatting was enjoyed.

We then walked along Chain Hill road and back down Quarry road to our cars.

Blend was the chosen coffee shop, we enjoyed catching up with 2 members unable to tramp on the day.
We reckon we walked 15 km, give or take a little.
Great to be back out with such an enthusiastic group of friends.
– Cheers Eleanore

(12/2/2017.)

Chain Hills Track. 30 min. Tramping Track. Benched. Manager: DCC CAM and private land.

20/1/2010. Hikers. Overbridge, Coalstage Road, McMasters Road, Old Brighton Road, Fairfield Park, Morris Road, Overbridge. Leaders: Bev and Chris.

Our esteemed leaders Bev and Chris decided that views from Rudd Road were unlikely in the misty conditions set to prevail, and that the 12 of us should walk from Saddle Hill to Fairfield and back instead.  The intention was to go from Coal Stage Rd up Chain Hills Rd and do a loop, but the general wisdom was to follow Coal Stage. When we got to Saddle Hill Rd, the Left-leaning leaders  wanted to turn that way while the majority of Tories voted to turn Right (which was actually less conservative), and so proceed up Saddle Hill Rd to McMasters Rd, where in fact we had a morning tea stop with a view.

Saddle Hill Hotel

(9 miles from Dunedin)

Ewan McColl……..Proprietor

First class wines and spirits.

(N.B. Good stabling and paddock accommodation)

This was the advertisement in the Otago Witness in 1864.

Little is known about the early history of this hotel but it appears that Ewan M’Coll was killed in an accident when he was a young man. The next owner was James Purvis and an early photograph shows the building marked ‘James Purvis Hotel’, and on the Dunedin side there is an extension marked ‘Oats and Chaff’. There was no balcony or iron work but three sash windows upstairs and two windows and a centre door at ground level. Behind the hotel the large hump of Saddle Hill can be seen, with bush right down to the present Saddle Hill road.

By 1851 the route round Saddle Hill had been established as the main road to the south and by 1859 it was metalled as far as Taieri Ferry. On 12 January 1961 James McIntosh, Otago’s pioneer coachman set out from Dunedin to drive the mail coach for the first time as far as the Clutha Ferry.

Saddle Hill and Lookout Point were two of the trouble spots on the south road. Passengers had to walk up Saddle Hill and to steady the coach for the downward journey, a skid, fastened to a chain, was placed  under the back wheel.

A passenger commenting on early coaching days writes ‘How Carmichael managed to get his four horse team safely round the exposed places on Lookout Point and Saddle Hill I cannot tell. I turned my head or shut my eyes while he, standing up with the whip and voice, urged them past danger.’

In the early days there was a small settlement further down the hill called The Junction where the road branches off across the Plain. Here in 1869 Sydney Turnbull opened a store and bakery and in his large brick ovens he continued to make bread for several years to supply his second store at the corner of Bush and Gordon Roads. There was a blacksmith, wheelwright and saddler and also Steadman’s Hotel which was a stopping place for coaches. Near here was the toll-house which for some years was in the charge of ‘Cheekie” McKenzie, who had an iron hook over an injured hand.

Mr R W Stevenson whose great grandfather Robert Stevenson came out in the Philip Laing has lived in the former Saddle Hill Hotel with his family since 1957. He has made it more comfortable inside and where he raised the back about three feet to brighten the kitchen he has matched the timber carefully with the skill of a craftsman. He is proud of his old hotel but although he has had all the materials for some time to repaint it he has been unable to do so. – “More Taieri Buildings” 1972 by Daphne Lemon.

No. 49 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Harbour Cone, Peggy Hill Larnach Castle – Farm”. Location: 32 km.
Broad Bay Future Forest – background information.
Trampers park cars at Broad Bay. DCC Public Land; Hikers park at top of Bacon Street.

Click Swampy ridge track for background information.
See also: Leith Saddle and Morrison Tracks
Leith Saddle, Waitati Valley Road, Sawmill Track, Swampy Ridge, Burns Track

Distance Chingford from carpark: 20 km.

Follow Old Main North Road to Cleghorn Street which has the best view of the harbour. Walkway sign.

Walk starts starts at the gate on right, up McGregors Hill. Beyond stile Pine plantation on 3rd stile at summit.

Gravel road 10 minutes to end. Locked gate. Last stile. Signal Hill road.

Distance Portobello from car-park: 32 km.

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13. 8/11/2023. Hikers. Varleys Hill-Hereweka Track. Grade 2.5. $9. 32km. Leaders: Jan Butcher/Jenny Finnerty

22 hikers set off on a cloudy morning for the Portobello Community carpark. Continue Reading »

18 km from car-park to Logan Park or Marina.

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Distance from car-park: 17 km.

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14. 25/1/2023. Trampers. Hope Hill. Grade 4 Leaders: Diane and Marijke

‘Hope Hill’ is a working farm located just south of Allanton. The owners over the years have given the TRTC permission to undertake tramps through their unique property. We parked in a paddock off the State Highway. The morning was clear and warm and 16 trampers were keen to get underway. Ahead of us was a winding farm track up to the top of the hill.  With a few stops along the way to appreciate the views of the Taieri Plain we reached our morning tea stop in around 45 minutes.

After morning tea we continued on the farm track for a bit more time and then we turned left and walked on grassy pasture toward the sea.

The interesting eastern view was unfolding for us and when we made our way up to a trig station we could see it all – Saddle Hill, Blackhead, Taieri Mouth, peninsulas beyond and forestry to the south.

After leaving the trig station we continued walking through the picturesque landscape with the ocean in the background. However, we had to leave this gentle part of the farm and tackle a steep downhill track that eventually led us to a large flat paddock. We followed sheep tracks through the paddock and eventually got to McLaren Gully Road. We turned right and had about 1.5kms to walk on the narrow, dusty gravel road. The road is used extensively by logging trucks. We were thankful that Lyn (one of our trampers) had contacted the haulage company and explained we would be on the road about midday, and they alerted their drivers to take extra care. We managed the road walk without incident. After passing wooded areas and an interesting old house the Hope Hill paddocks came back into view. We turned off the road and into the paddock at the earliest opportunity.

This side of the farm was drier and hotter and so it got a bit tougher for us. Our view now was the Taieri Plan, Dunedin Airport and surrounds.

Our aim was to reach the two prominent cell phone towers near the top of a ridge and have our lunch. However, there was a steep climb for us to reach the towers so needless to say we enjoyed our lunch break when it came.

After lunch we continued climbing but on a gentler slope and then traversed several paddocks back to the farm track we had come up in the morning. We descended the farm track back to our cars.

More downhill Caption and photo Neil

We walked around 14 kilometres and were all pleased to finish around 2.30pm as the day was getting hot and windy.

Thank you to Neil for all his work with helping us through fences and opening and closing gates.

Thank you also to Lyn for coming with us on the recce and helping us on the day.

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No. 68 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Leishmans Falls – (J Roy) Summer”

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15. 26/10/2022. Trampers. Chalkies Circuit. Grade 3. Leaders: Esther Willis & Karen McInnes

Ten trampers walked back along the road from the Whare Flat pump house carpark, past the Waiora Scout camp, and to the beginning of our tramp about half a Km away.

We started on Leishmans track and passed by the remains of the hut and weir that were once part of a Mosgiel water scheme.

The track progresses up through bush consisting of lots of fuchsia. Our upper body strength was tested at the rock face which thankfully has a knotted rope to aid our ascent.

The track winds uphill steadily and steeply in places, and the bush changes to manuka and kanuka. Morning tea was an unhurried rest sitting on the side of the track.

It was still and humid in the bush so layers were shed. Further on there were good views to be had over North Taieri, Saddle Hill and out to the coast.

We continued upwards and into the boggy area which had dried out a bit since our recce. We emerged onto a grassy lane between Larch and Douglas Fir then branched off to the tussock area at the top of Powder Hill where we stopped for photos at the old trig.

We carried on to the Chalkies limestone formations for an early lunch. The cliffs have crumbled in places and unfortunately have been visited by taggers.

As we lunched, the temperature dropped a few degrees, and wary of the forecast rain arriving, we headed downhill. It’s a steady descent and steep in places. There were lots of patches of native clematis on the hillside opposite. We joined the private road at the bottom of the track and continued on down to the ford where our boots got a bit of a clean in the water.

At about 7.5km and climbing to an elevation of 525m, it’s not a long tramp but it’s a good workout out for the lungs and legs. We were lucky to have avoided the rain. Refreshments and debrief at Blackstone Cafe.
Karen

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No. 10 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Lamb Hill to 3 o’clock creek. Farm. Lambing.”

Farm walk. Lamb Hill Station, Hindon Road, Hindon. Seek permission. Check at house before you do any tramping.

Lamb Hill: 43 km from car-park.

Bendoran: 75 km from car-park.

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8. 29/11/2017. Trampers. Bendoran over-night, Orbells Cave. H. Leader: Art.

This tramp was a First Time for our club.

Two cars(six trampers) left Mosgiel at 8.00 a.m. rendezvousing at Cherry Farm before travelling together to reach the Bendoran Huts at 9.30. Morning tea was taken, and five eager trampers set out just after 10 am on the day’s adventure. One stayed in camp to heat water for showers later.

The day was sunny and warm enough. High cloud drifted across after an hour, but it remained hot. We stopped several times to take on water – and we were going downhill!

We descended down to Orbells Creek, and followed it for some distance, being on a grassy 4WD track all day. Tussocky hills surrounded us, with many interesting rocks, such beautiful country.

A mob of grand Hereford cows with calves (beef) moved in front of us for a time, before going up a side gully.

Eventually we came to the first ascent of the day, leaving Orbells Creek for a time, the 4WD track going up and over a saddle. At the top we had a short descent and then a climb up to a second saddle.

But from here it was downhill all the way to the cave. We met Barney, the Bendoran Farm Manager, out with his dogs shifting a mob of cows and calves – black with white faces this time (Angus Hereford Cross).

We came back to Orbells Creek by the cattleyards, crossed over, and in a few minutes were at Orbells Cave (with Orbells Garden flourishing in profusion in front (foxgloves). It had been hot work, but to our great relief found that it was very pleasantly cool in the cave. The time was 12.20 pm. We sat and rested for half an hour here, while eating our lunch.

 Fiddlers Hut was our next objective, about 2 km further on. Was we left, bird calls from high above the cave alerted us to the presence of a N.Z. falcon circling there. We saw it – or another one –  later in the day, too. Crossing 3 O’Clock Stream, we arrived at Fiddlers Hut at 1.3. We admired the stone walls, very neatly constructed, and with a vey sound modern corrugated iron roof.

But sadly the interior had been badly neglected, birds obviously had been the only tenants for some years past.

As we began the homeward journey, a light and very pleasantly cool north-east breeze arrived to provide some relief, especially helpful on the uphill bits. Five tiny little Paradise duckings were on the water when we crossed back over 3 O’Clock Stream. All water bottles were refilled.

The same route was followed going back as we had travelled out earlier. It was a long climb back up to the two saddles. At the top of the first one, 10 minutes was well spent in resting, while taking on water, eating fruit, etc.

In time we came back down to Orbells Creek, and walked, the kilometres behind us, with an occasional brief stop (water).

One long hill awaited us – the climb out from Orbells Creek. The hill seemed to go on forever, but by putting one foot in front of the other, we found the top. But our legs were mighty tired now, and there was only a few hundred metres left to go. And so we arrived back at the Bendoran Hilton …

… just before 5 p.m. A good list down and rest seemed to be the logical thing to do now, so that’s what we did!

All five had thoroughly enjoyed the day. An energetic tramp to equal any other that our club has done. VERY SATISFYING.

Total distance was 20 km. Orbells Cave was approx. 8 km from Bendoran, and Fiddlers Hut a further 2 km beyond. Bendoral Huts are at an altitude of 500 metres, Fiddlers Hut about 200 metres. – Art.

On completing the tramp we had a lovely muffin and cup of tea before showers and liquid refreshments. Fire lovingly looked after by camp mum Jennifer. Eleanor our great organiser had Also arrived by this time.

Tea was prepared consisting of silverside, stuffed chicken, new potatoes, carrots and two salads. Dessert: chocolate brownie berries and yogert. All had bought some part of it.

Jill Arthur Phil Wyn and Helen the walkers.

It helped revive us. – Helen

6. 19/1/2011. Trampers. Lamb Hill to three o’clock creek. Old Stone Hut. Orbells Cave. Medium+.

If you look closly at the small scale pic, you can see the shed at the Nth. end of the airstrip, right at the bottom of the pic where the track starts. As you can see from the spacing of the GPS squares, we were still driving for a while till the squares become very close together. this is where we started to walk from. You can also see the track going off to the left of the airstrip at it’s south end, going down to the ford where the track peters out, & then starts again on the other side. That is where the 2003 tramp went (see below).

The large scale pic shows the decent via the wrong ridge, we should’ve been one over to the right. Anyway, we ended up just a short distance from Orbells creek, so walked into that valley, & up to Orbells caves which is the track on the RH side of the pic.

We then retraced our steps back to Three O’clock Stream, and went downstream to a crossing, where Dermot and I went to the old hut to have lunch (which is the track on the left side of the stream in the GPS pic).

Then after walking across the river flats, we struggled up the very steep hills back to the cars.

The weather was fine, but VERY windy, and I nearly lost my footing a couple of times coming back up the steepest parts. BTW, the hut is not on Lambhill Station, it’s on the neighbours property.

Everybody did very well, including George, who didn’t go to the caves, along with Hazel. They just went over to the hut to have lunch there.

George got a dose of cramp on the way back up the hills, but managed to overcome it ok, and carry on. – Ken.

5. 21/5/2006 Lamb Hill to three o’clock creek. Old Stone Hut. Orbells Cave. Medium+.Leaders: George, Keith, Glenice, Hazel

4. 21/5/2003. Both. Lamb Hill to Three O.clock Creek. Medium. Leaders: Wendy B, Bob H, Nancy & Molly

3. 17/5/2000 Lamb Hill, Three O’Clock Creek. Leaders: Wendy, Colleen, George

2. 15/4/1998. 3 O’Clock Creek, Lamb Hill. Leaders: Nancy, Wendy B

1. 8/11/1989 Lamb Hill to Three O’Clock Creek and old stone hut. Harder grade. George, Mary M, Molly, Catherine

No. 90 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Round Hill – Milburn (George) Farm”

42 km from car park.

2/6/2014 Both. Fort Hill, Barnes and Circle Hill Roads, Milburn. Moderate. Leaders: Ian, Ken

Twenty-six turned out for a sunny first tramp for the winter, on back country roads amongst lovely rolling hill farms to the west of Milburn.

We lunched where Fort Hill Road ended at a T-junction with Barnes Road, which stretched left to meet Circle Hill Road, and right to form to form a larger route to also turn down Circle Hill Road at its end where both these roads joined to form Douglas Road.

Ken supplied this report regarding this spot. Thanks Ken. : “The people that did the longer walk, covered 15.2km; Moving time  3hrs 9min; We climbed 374mtrs. I guess the ones that took the shortcut walked about 11km.
I base this on the time taken for us to walk around the longer loop, & the ave speed was 4.8km/hr, & it took us nearly an hour to walk around the loop.”

As said before, the day was sunny and calm, and each ample time to make the climbing bits at bits own pace.

Just a personal thought for road walks. With the growing practice of wearing, and of availability of high-viz vests, a good idea would be for more than just the leaders to be wearing them.

And lastly. What is becoming the customary coffee stop was enjoyed this time at Waihola’s Black Swan. – Ian.

1/9/2010 Both. Fort Hill, Barnes and Circle Hill Roads, Milburn. Moderate. Leaders: Ian, Ken

Click Dunedin’s Hills’ History for background information.

DCC  land.

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Nine of us met at Booth Road. We entered Davies Track via McGoun this time, exiting it on the left a short way up past the cairn. A light shower came on during the bush section, sounding quite pleasant as it struck the leaves overhead. Out in the tussock at the top, the weather was clear again. Ria and Hazel had discovered a new track had been made above the bush, this time striking to the left instead of the one to the left, the one that got several of us lost last time where overgrowth had rendered a crucial turn invisible.

We emerged on the Flagstaff walkway above a rock outcrop and headed down to the top of the Pineapple. Here Gay, a visitor, left us and we continued along Swampy Ridge to the top of the Nicols/Moonlight track. A little way in and we found the track has been ruined by mountain bike wheels cutting a narrow deep groove down the track middle, making keeping our footing on the restricted track-sides difficult and dangerous. Further down, we kept to the Moonlight side of Nicols Creek and traced, where we could, the original track, bisected however by the zigzags of the mountain bike route. Rain now really set in and we sheltered in nearby bush for lunch. We then continued down the old track, through the macrocarpas, the stone outcrop and yet further carefully down to emerge at the creek crossing below the waterfall – to Ian’s delight but Ria’s chagrin who had hoped to emerge onto the Leith Valley road on the north side instead of now forced across to the other side. So it was down and out and up Islay St back to the cars. All felt it had been another good day out. Too dull and showery for photo opportunities however. – Ian.

The route Ria and Hazel took ten of us on provided plenty of variety both in scenery and weather. We approached Davies track by way of Ross Creek Reservoir from Woodhaugh. After Ross Creek it was through cleared forest before climbing through secondary growth …

… on the foothill slopes of Flagstaff before entering beautiful native forest and and hour later emerging on Flagstaff’s tussock and flax with overcast views of the harbour and Dunedin both north and south. We had encountered occasional showers to this point and now out on the tussock it was turning really cold. We were still not prepared upon reaching the upper Pineapple-Flagstaff track …

… to be pelted by a fierce but fortunately brief hail storm. We quickly made our way down to the junction with the Swampy Ridge track where now the hail had now been …

… replaced with snow. So it was down, down the Pineapple to the sheltered edge of the bush where we lunched in the now fitful sunshine. Then the bush, Booth Road, back through Ross Creek tracks and down past the reservoir until the last scenic bush gave way to Woodhaugh St and back to the cars. An interesting day. – Ian

In Leith Valley, where Otago’s first industry – sawmilling – is reputed to have started about the 1860s, is the start of the old Pineapple Track.
Originally, it was named Ross Track, after Archibald Hilson Ross, who owned most of the land in the vicinity. In the early 1920s, Mr Oscar Balk, first president of the Otago Tramping Club, led parties of trampers up this route. At the top of a rather steep section, the parties would stop to rest and often refresh themselves with a tin of pineapple. This tin was sometimes left hanging on a tree or fence, and the track came to be called the Pineapple Track.
The line of the Pineapple Walkway has deviated from the original track in places to provide more scenic variation.
The original vegetation of the area has been modified as a result of early milling, burning and stock grazing, but remnants of the milled species (podocarps) still remain. Rimu, miro, totara and matai are found in isolated pockets, mainly in damp gullies. Even so, the overall distribution of plant species retains some semblance of natural order with the larger forest trees growing at lower altitudes. Podocarp broad-leaved forest type occurs with shrub species which grade out into Dracophyllum shrub land and ultimately tussock grassland communities on the summit area.
Some common plants: fuchsia, pepper tree, lemonwood, broadleaf, totara, five’finger, wineberry, lancewood, Muehlenbeckia, Dracophyllum, Coprosma, Hebe, and wild spaniard tussock.
There are many varieties of birds in the bush areas where there is an ample food supply to sustain many nectar-, berry-, and insect-eating native birds.
Some of these are: New Zealand pigeon, bellbird, fantail, tomtit, brown creeper, tui, silvereye, rifleman and pipit.

17/10/2001. Trampers. Nicols Creek – Swampy Saddle – Warburton Track. Leaders: Lex, Mary L, Irene.

The track rises fairly steeply at first from the Waitati Valley through the cedar forest with emergent miro and totara. The track once very boggy as it passed through the forest has been overlaid by a boardwalk that has allowed the forest floor to largely recover. Continue Reading »